How to Choose Natural Stone Jewelry | Finding the Piece That Fits You
Natural stone jewelry comes in countless varieties and colors,
and many people find themselves thinking,
“I’m interested, but I don’t know which one to choose.”
This GUIDE is designed to help you search more easily—
without relying only on intuition, and without making things overly complicated.
Start with stone categories. Next, explore by item type and popular series. Finally, learn about materials.
Whether you skim only what you need or read it all the way through,
it’s structured to help you see your own way of choosing more clearly.
■ Explore by Natural Stone
1. Common Symbolic Meanings of Natural Stones
The following does not claim spiritual effects as facts.
Instead, it organizes symbolic meanings that have been spoken about across history and cultures in a way that feels easy to relate to in everyday life.
Opal｜Change / Sensitivity / Intuition
Aquamarine｜Calm / Clarity / Communication
Moonstone｜Rhythm / Inner world / Gentle emotions
Amethyst｜Focus / Calm / Organizing thoughts
Onyx｜Willpower / Boundaries / Steadiness
Black Garnet｜Endurance / Patience / Groundedness
Pearl｜Harmony / Elegance / Inner stability
Mother of Pearl｜Acceptance / Kindness / Emotional balance
Lapis Lazuli｜Intellect / Judgment / Seeing the essence
Rose Quartz｜Self-acceptance / Gentle relationships
Lavender Quartz｜Reassurance / Softening emotions
Blue Topaz｜Sincerity / Expression / Mental clarity
Ametrine｜Balance of focus and flexibility
2. Choosing by Color
Before meaning, the thing that draws us most intuitively is often “color.”
Play-of-color / Optical shift：Opal / Moonstone / Mother of Pearl
Blue tones：Aquamarine / Blue Topaz / Lapis Lazuli
Purple tones：Amethyst / Lavender Quartz / Ametrine
Pink tones：Rose Quartz / Pink Opal
Black tones：Onyx / Black Garnet
Milky / White tones：Pearl
3. Birth Months & Zodiac Signs (Reference)
Birthstones and zodiac signs do not always correspond one-to-one.
Birth month: classification based on the month you were born
Zodiac sign: classification based on date ranges
Because zodiac signs span across months, separating “birth month” and “zodiac sign” helps you choose without confusion.
Below is a commonly known overview, organized as reference information for this GUIDE.
■ Birthstones by Month (commonly used in Japan)
- January: Garnet
- February: Amethyst
- March: Aquamarine
- April: Diamond
- May: Emerald
- June: Moonstone / Pearl / Alexandrite
- July: Ruby
- August: Peridot
- September: Sapphire
- October: Opal / Tourmaline
- November: Citrine / Topaz
- December: Turquoise / Lapis Lazuli / Tanzanite / Zircon
※ Depending on region and historical background, some months may have multiple birthstones.
※ For April, the most widely recognized birthstone today is Diamond.
This reflects modern standardization by the jewelry industry.
In some contexts, Clear Quartz may also be introduced as an April birthstone based on cultural background or practicality.
※ In some overseas lists, Blue Topaz may also be listed for December.
■ Zodiac Stones (Reference)
Zodiac-based stone pairings vary by source.
Here, we share one example as a way of organizing the idea.
- Capricorn (12/22–1/19)
Garnet - Aquarius (1/20–2/18)
Amethyst - Pisces (2/19–3/20)
Aquamarine - Aries (3/21–4/19)
Diamond - Taurus (4/20–5/20)
Emerald - Gemini (5/21–6/21)
Pearl - Cancer (6/22–7/22)
Ruby - Leo (7/23–8/22)
Peridot - Virgo (8/23–9/22)
Sapphire - Libra (9/23–10/23)
Opal - Scorpio (10/24–11/22)
Topaz - Sagittarius (11/23–12/21)
Tanzanite
Birth months and zodiac signs are simply reference options to broaden your choices.
Prioritizing the color, texture, and what matches your current mood and style is also a very natural way to choose.
■ Representative Stones by Element
Fire
Aries / Leo / Sagittarius
An element symbolizing passion, action, and intuitive energy.
Ruby
Garnet
Carnelian
Citrine
Peridot
※ Many stones in this category have vivid, warm-toned color.
Earth
Taurus / Virgo / Capricorn
An element symbolizing stability, practicality, and continuity.
Emerald
Jade
Onyx
Smoky Quartz
Black Garnet
※ Many stones here have subdued tones and a grounded impression.
Air
Gemini / Libra / Aquarius
An element symbolizing thought, communication, and lightness.
Aquamarine
Blue Topaz
Amethyst
Clear Quartz
Fluorite
※ Transparency, lightness, and a clear impression are key characteristics.
Water
Cancer / Scorpio / Pisces
An element symbolizing sensitivity, inner depth, and emotional flow.
Moonstone
Pearl
Opal
Lapis Lazuli
Rose Quartz
※ Many stones here have soft expressions and gentle shifts of light.
＿＿＿
Element categories don’t define your personality in one direction.
They’re simply one viewpoint for finding what feels close to you “right now.”
Just like zodiac signs and birth months,
prioritizing the color or texture you’re intuitively drawn to
can also be a natural way to choose.
■ Blood Type & Natural Stones
There is no scientific or historical direct relationship between blood type and natural stones.
However, if you treat blood-type personality tendencies as one possible lens, you can organize it like this:
Type A: pale tones and soft-impression stones
Example: Rose Quartz, Lavender Quartz, Pearl, MoonstoneType B: stones with play-of-color and individuality
Example: Opal, Ametrine, Lapis LazuliType O: high-contrast stones
Example: Onyx, Black Garnet, Blue TopazType AB: designs that are neutral and not easily defined
Example: Moonstone, Ametrine, Mother of Pearl
Use this simply as one lens for organizing your preferences.
■ Explore by Item
Necklaces
Because they sit close to the eye line, necklaces make it easy to enjoy a stone’s color and transparency.
They’re also one of the clearest ways to see a natural stone’s character,
adding a quiet presence even to simple outfits.
For gifts, necklaces can also feel like a safer choice,
especially when you’re not sure whether the recipient has pierced ears.
Without narrowing down lifestyle or preferences too much,
necklaces are easy to incorporate into both everyday wear and special occasions.
Earrings
With movement and light, the expression of a natural stone shifts subtly.
Because they’re close to the face, even small pieces can leave a strong impression of color or play-of-color,
adding a light accent to your overall styling.
From everyday wear to days you want a small change of mood,
earrings can adapt their presence with your outfit.
Sets / Pairings
Set items are coordinated combinations—such as a necklace and earrings—designed with overall balance in mind.
Because the tone and volume are already aligned,
they’re easier to style and approachable even for those new to natural stone jewelry.
They’re also suitable for gifts with a cohesive impression,
and for special occasions.
■ Popular Natural Stone Series
You can explore each series from its product page.
■ Why We Choose 925 Sterling Silver as the Base Material
SMUK’s natural stone series uses 925 sterling silver as the base material for every piece.
925 sterling silver offers:
A calm shine that doesn’t overpower
Stability suited to everyday wear
A texture that becomes more familiar over time
Relatively gentle wearability, designed with sensitivity to metal allergies in mind
—a material chosen as a foundation that supports, rather than distracts from, each stone’s color and character.
■ Rhodium (Platinum-tone) & 18K Gold Plating: Features and Benefits
925 sterling silver is beautiful on its own,
but depending on the design and intended use, we may apply a protective plating to the surface.
Rhodium (platinum-tone) plating
Helps prevent tarnishing and maintain a bright, clear silver tone
High surface hardness for stability in everyday wear
Brings out the sharpness of natural stone colors
18K gold plating
Adds warmth while keeping silver’s light feel
Blends softly with the skin and creates a gentle impression
Creates depth when paired with natural stone colors
Neither plating replaces the base metal with something else.
It’s a choice applied on top of 925 sterling silver to expand how the piece looks and feels.
Plating is not permanent.
Depending on frequency and handling, it will gradually wear thinner over time.
When plating wears off, the surface simply returns to the original 925 sterling silver,
and the material itself does not change.
For that reason, while there are individual differences in use conditions,
one benefit of choosing 925 sterling silver as the base material
is that it is less likely to create major additional allergy risks.
We think of plating as a protective layer that covers the silver.
If silver is “everyday,” then natural stones are “change” and “individuality.”
If either side becomes too strong, it may work as decoration,
but it becomes harder for it to feel like something you’ll wear for a long time.
The combination of silver and natural stones is easy to wear without pressure,
while still leaving space for your own personality—creating a comfortable distance.
■ In Closing
These categories are not meant to decide a single “correct answer.”
They’re tools to make choosing easier,
and in the end, it’s enough to choose what feels right for you—right now.
If natural stone jewelry can become something that gently helps you feel more aligned in everyday life,
that would make us happy.
If you’d like to learn more about materials used in jewelry,
we recommend these articles as well.
Jewelry Gift Guide｜Choose by Price & Occasion
Pearl Collection｜A Light that Looks Elegant
Choosing 925 Sterling Silver — Jewelry that Lives with Nature
8 Types of Earrings｜Features, Pros & Cons
Does 925 Silver Tarnish? Causes & Proper Care
Metal Allergies & Jewelry Materials｜A Practical Guide
925 Sterling Silver vs Surgical Stainless Steel
If you’re interested in SMUK accessories,
you can also check these product list pages.
